Geniuses aren't stupid
by Sychronergy
Summary: They break, they feel, and they fall. But in the end, geniuses aren't stupid. Ita/Neji and Sasu/Neji.


**Pairings: **Ita/Nej, and Sasu/Nej  
**Summary:** They break, they feel, and they fall. But in the end, geniuses aren't stupid. Ita/Neji and Sasu/Neji.

* * *

"He is yours for the next three years," says Hizashi Hyuuga. The businessman shoves the boy forward, watching with unapologetic eyes as Neji balances himself slowly but steadily. Neji kneels, affirming the decision.

Itachi Uchiha nods.

* * *

Itachi isn't stupid.

He knows many things. He knows how to afford a five room penthouse all for himself. He knows how to keep his bank worth in the seven digits. He knows that his Vice President is secretly wiring out money to himself every month. He also knows that double of the amount gets deducted immediately from his Vice President's bonus, though the man still hasn't caught onto the pattern.

He also knows, that since the moment Neji Hyuuga enters their life, that the boy with the aristocratic manners and majestic air belongs somewhere else. But Neji's uncle is stupid and Neji's father even more so. The uncle amassed a huge debt, and Neji, who inherited his father's inferior family rank, is here to pay.

Itachi doesn't want to subject the Hyuuga to menial tasks. He already has maids and servants for that. He won't get used to image of the exotic boy washing dishes or cleaning toilets anyway. So he assigns Hyuuga as his personal attendant, something he didn't really need, but enjoys nonetheless.

Something he enjoys a little too much, he thinks. There's something enchanting, the way he can wake up to Neji's diamond eyes and soft voice. He orders the Hyuuga to help him dress, to comb his hair. Hyuuga does it without complaint.

Itachi will need to hire a personal attendant when Hyuuga leaves, he thinks.

Hyuuga has a special way of moving too, a trained gait where no movement is wasted. Every move, from the slightly nods of head, or controlled smiles serves a unique purpose. Hyuuga, unlike the others, never accidentally breaks anything, or made superfluous moves to attract attention. Hyuuga seems to know he's the center of attention wherever he goes.

Itachi sometimes wonders if he still seems like the master of the house, with Hyuuga strolling around.

"Uchiha-_sama_, says Neji. "It's 8:00AM."

Neji never touches him to wake him up, because Itachi is a light sleeper, and Itachi knows when it's time to wake up. He's always awake before Neji enters the room.

But today, he pretends to be a deep sleeper. He wonders what Neji will do.

Hesitantly, a delicate hand reaches to shake him gently. When he finally opens his eyes, Neji's face was closer than ever, eyes blinking curiously at him. With an understanding nod, Neji draws back. Itachi thinks he needs to be a heavier sleeper. Or pretend to be, anyway.

* * *

"This is silly," announces Itachi one day. Neji looks up from the folders he was rearranging. "An intern nearly sent a business proposal without filling out the company's name in the template."

Neji cocks his head slightly in a way that is certainly not cute. "Interns are still learning."

"Dear [Company Name]. We would like to invite [Insert Company Name]," Itachi reads from his screen. "Plus, I have two managers agreeing that it's a good letter."

Neji chuckles at that.

* * *

The first time he sees the cold fire burn in Neji, he really isn't surprised.

He is watching the window, pondering over a new company's interest in investing into his corporation. Neji's folding his clothes. He's struggling with a particularly silky shirt, the slippery material refusing to lie still. Finally, Itachi goes over and does it for him.

"I'm sorry," says Neji.

For the first time, Itachi sees a flash of embarrassment, a touch of insecurity.

"Funny," says Itachi. He thinks Neji would be particularly talented with silk, considering the velvet quality of that chocolate hair.

"Someone usually does these for me back home," says Neji. He gestures at the folded clothes. His body was falling into a defensive posture, slight twitches tensing his forehead.

"You don't deserve to be here," says Itachi. "Doing this."

"It's fate," says Neji, the delicious fire flashing in his eyes. "But after this, I'm free. Free forever, which is more than what I can hope for if my uncle is not so preposterous in his dealings."

It's the first time Itachi hears him speak more than bare minimum. Neji apologizes and leaves the room.

* * *

Things are changing, Itachi thinks. Hyuuga's never been a man of many words, but he's speaking less than usual. Itachi's never been a man of many words either, but he finds himself speaking more than usual.

He likes to ask Hyuuga what the day was like, what the servants were up to. Sometimes he makes Neji read the newspaper for him. There's something magnetic about the voice, something alluring, like the sirens in Greek mythology.

* * *

Three months later, Itachi can't deny the effect the Hyuuga has on him anymore. Every time Neji's in the same room as him, he's hypersensitive to the presence. It was electrifying, because there really was no other word for it. It flows between them like a current, and Itachi thinks Neji notices it too.

One time, after a particularly draining day, Neji lays a hand on his forearm. Then draws back, as if he was burned. Neji immediately goes to bring him a change of clothes, but Itachi thinks he saw a dash of pink on the pale skin.

But Neji's a man with an iron fist, when it comes to his emotion. Itachi can see the bottled up, double locked, and triple wrapped hints of shyness. The mask is cracking, buckling under the continuously applied pressure.

Neji's combing his hair now. His fingers are careful to avoid Itachi's nape. Itach's quiet, watching the Hyuuga's reflection. Neji's slightly nervous, but his strokes are still firm and sure; he's done it thousands of times, both to himself and Itachi. Itachi wonders what it's like if he reciprocates the move on Neji's hair. He'll like it a lot, he thinks.

Itachi leans back, accidentally pushing his neck against Neji's fingers, but Itachi doesn't do accidents. Neji drops the comb. The fragile ivory breaks. It's Neji's first accident.

"I'm sorry, Uchiha-_sama_," says Neji. His hands are slightly shaking as he leans down to pick up the pieces; pieces of his façade. Itachi doesn't speak as he watches. Neji doesn't miss a single piece. When the broken comb is in Neji's hand again, Neji's composed again.

"I will discard this, and wash my hands," he says.

Five minute later, he continues.

Itachi learns, that when Neji's mask breaks, it only comes back twice as strong.

Next time, he's not going to allow a break to pick up the pieces.

* * *

Neji's beautiful, and he's not the only one who thinks so. The house staff is getting used to Neji now, friendly. The girls are too friendly.

Itachi watches as Neji rebukes the girls one by one with some kind of pride, and perverse pleasure. Something he'll only admit to himself when his room's locked and no one's within a ten meter radius of him.

Until, one day, Neji smiles back at one of them.

Her name's TenTen, and Itachi makes it his new pleasure to shower her with additional attention. Meaningless smiles, accidental brushes, small talks and extravagant apology gifts. Soon, she writhes beneath him in his bed, and he tells Neji of his wonderful night.

He's glad Itachi's had such a great time, Neji says. His hands shake when he reaches to undress Itachi for his bath.

Itachi pretends not to understand, "Were you fond of TenTen?"

Neji's unreadable when he replies, "Maybe."

He makes Neji stay during his bath that day, to read him the newspaper. Neji's voice is unsteady, and grows more unsteady as the bath progresses. Itachi calls him over. Neji obeys.

Itachi trails a wet hand down Neji's arm. Neji shivers slightly when the water touches his skin.

"Relax me," says Itachi. He turns over, leaning his body in the edge.

Neji enters the heated water, clothes and hair floating out behind him as he approaches his master.

Neji moves his hair out of the way. Itachi can feel the fingers shake as they knead his back. He doesn't restrain his voice when Neji hits the particularly sensitive spots. Neji's very close to him, body almost pressed into Itachi's, but he's reserved. Itachi wants to shove back, then turn and press the boy against the edge of the tub. Neji's probably going to resist a moment, and coyly submit. Itachi thinks of Neji behind him, wet clothes clinging to his body, hands touching, moving, sliding.

"Please," he hears Neji whisper. But when he turns back, Neji's face is blank, only raising an eyebrow at Itachi's sudden movement.

Itachi leaves the pool; he can't allow himself to get wrinkles. He dries and dresses himself, watching as Neji stands uncomfortably in wet clothes.

* * *

Three more weeks.

He sleeps with more women. Few times, he even brings a man up.

Each time, Neji serves them drinks, and disappears. Few of Itachi's partners comments on Neji's beauty, surprised that Itachi didn't make him his. One of them, a silly fool, asks Itachi, if Itachi isn't going to use such a rose, can he have a go?

Itachi kicks him out.

Neji arrives at the commotion, doing his duty. He looks questioningly at the door, and turns his eyes to Itachi.

Itachi shrugs, and tells Neji to ready him for bed. They walk.

He walks too close, and he feels Neji tense.

He brings himself closer.

Neji falls.

Itachi catches him, arm around waist, the other steadying his shoulders. A makeshift lover's hold.

Itachi feels Neji shiver.

"I'm okay," says Neji. Neji's torn between pulling away and pulling closer. "I haven't been sleeping well."

Itachi holds him until Neji's unwavering again.

Neji can't help him dress that night. His fingers are shaking too badly, and his eyes can look everywhere, except at Itachi.

Itachi catches a hand, holding it until Neji finally looks at him. They stare at each other. Air's unnecessary, and Itachi feels it disappear.

"Will you break?" asks Itachi.

Neji doesn't answers. An eternity passes, before he steps closer. Itachi feels Neji nod against his neck as Neji finally presses his body against him.

* * *

Sasuke comes and with him, a maelstrom. Itachi knows that Sasuke wants Neji, if the rapt stares the boy threw wasn't proof enough. Sasuke's been spoiled all his life, and he's has everything he ever wanted, because his parents felt guilty about Itachi, and Itachi felt guilty about his parents.

So when Sasuke sees Neji, he purposely rakes a finger through Neji's hair, remarking on how different it is from Itachi's. Itachi looks the other way, and Sasuke knows.

Sasuke isn't stupid.

He knows when his brother wants something, when his brother loves someone. There's something beautiful about the way his brother smiles around Neji, and there's something beautiful about the way Neji's eyelashes flutters shyly around Itachi.

Sasuke wants to break the beautiful something.

Itachi's weak, Sasuke thinks. Itachi pretends not to notice how his younger brother orders Neji to do this, do that, run this, run that.

Neji's weak, Sasuke thinks. Neji obeys like a lapdog, hair flying and fingers dancing as he rushes to do all that Sasuke commands.

Sasuke doesn't know why Neji's here, and he doesn't particularly cares. All that matters is that Neji's there, and Sasuke can make Itachi suffer.

His brother's going over some reports, and Sasuke's bored. He commands Neji over, running his hand through that hair once again. He twists the strands, yanking Neji's head back. Neji makes a small sound Sasuke thinks he really like. _What do you want_, his expression read.

Sasuke watches as Itachi pays double the amount of attention to his work.

"Attend me tonight," says Sasuke.

Neji obeys, arriving at his room exactly at 11, when Sasuke goes to bed. Sasuke likes it already.

Sasuke stretches out his arms, liking the way Neji's hand race down his shirt.

"Do you do this with my brother often?" asks Sasuke.

"It's my duty," says Neji. He pulls the shirt off, reaching for another.

"How many times have you been fucked by him?" Sasuke continues.

Sasuke likes the way Neji flushes immediately, body jerking away.

Neji doesn't tell him it's inappropriate, because they both know, and Sasuke doesn't really care. As Neji leave the room, Sasuke wonders how long it took for Itachi to raise a reaction from Neji.

_I only took 14 hours,_ Sasuke wants to tell his brother.

If Sasuke knows his brother, and damn sure he does, Itachi probably took an eternity and a half.

* * *

Sasuke has the whole day to himself while Itachi works. He's back from America now, back home for the summer. He has nothing to do except watch his brother's lover. Maybe fuck his brother's lover.

He likes the way Neji moves, he thinks. Smooth, but fast. Graceful, and almost dangerous. It reminds him of something lethal, the kind that kills in a blink of an eye, leaving no trace. Sasuke likes being alone in the room with danger, but he doesn't think Neji will attack anyway.

Neji turns to look at him, "Please stop staring at me."

"Why does it bother you?" Sasuke counters immediately.

"You don't bother me," says Neji. He turns back to the ornaments he's rearranging.

That bothers Sasuke.

He strolls up to Neji and deliberately ran his hand down Neji's back, stopping on his hips. Neji's breath hitched, maybe in anger.

"Oh yeah?"

He drops his hands, and walks back to his room. He has a few friends he wants to call.

* * *

It's been two weeks.

Itachi watches him with growing wariness, but Sasuke knows Itachi won't speak. He might continue to fuck his lover, and clench his fists tighter than ever, but Itachi's not going to talk. His brother is too proud to be jealous.

Neji's wary of him too. But Sasuke thinks there's something beneath the narrow eyes. A glimmer of curiosity, and some kind of desire. Sometimes he'll catch Neji's eyes on purpose, and he'll smirk while Neji frowns.

Neji's becoming more open. He's opening rebuking Sasuke's advances, and pushing Sasuke away. Sasuke likes the new game, especially when he sees Neji's hand linger just a moment too long.

Sasuke stands at the balcony, enjoying the way the blur of the city streets hundreds of feet under him. He likes the feeling, being on top of the world. Soon, he'll graduate college. When he does, his parent's money will become his. He feels sorry for Itachi sometimes. Itachi gets the company, but he's the one with the hard cash.

Sasuke's smart, too. He knows how to make cash from cash. While Itachi's got the commitment, mind for details, and organization, Sasuke's got the speed, passion, and creativity. The two of them can be a great team, if only.

If only Sasuke doesn't always want what Itachi has.

Neji's next to him now with the tea he asked for. He tells Neji to put the tea down, using the opportunity to bend the Hyuuga over the balcony's rail.

"If I push, you'll fall several hundred meters," says Sasuke. He likes the way Neji shivers against him, body pressing back. "You'll fall for about 11 seconds. 11 seconds of freedom. Then, you'll pay the price."

"But you will not," says Neji.

Sasuke pushes him harder. He will not, of course, but he likes seeing Neji tensing in fear. He likes the way Neji's pushing against him, so strongly. Sasuke looks over Neji's shoulder, admiring the barely-there specks that indicated a living life form; a human.

He bites down on Neji's neck.

Neji lets out an undignified yelp.

Sasuke lets him go. Neji stumbles back, feet tripping. Sasuke can see the red mark forming. Neji feels it too; he clamps a hand over it, face flushing brilliantly.

"Itachi can't make you feel that way, can he?" asks Sasuke. He's already turned back to the open air. He wonders if Neji might push him over. He doesn't exactly want to die, but sometimes, he wonders what it's like.

Neji comes up behind him, hands on his shoulders.

Neji grips him, "I should push."

"But you will not," says Sasuke. He reaches up, grabbing the hands, and pulls them down until Neji holds him in an embrace. Neji pulls back, but Sasuke doesn't let him.

He leans into the hold.

* * *

The gyrating bodies and perspiring heat is gratifying. Sasuke mingles, grabbing a random waist, groping a random chest, and pulling random skirt as they dance to the thundering beat of the club. The speaker hisses, purrs, and shouts strings of encouragement. Exhilarating, raging, and wild. Epitome of iniquity.

Sasuke throws his head back, smirking as he ran his hand down a girl with particularly long hair.

He can think of a lot of things he wants to do to pretty long hair.

He kisses her and she moans back, heart and soul bare to him.

"No, no, baby," she crones. Her entire body sends him a not-so-subtle message, one that begs for sex and ecstasy. She grinds against him, and another body pushes against his from behind. Sasuke lets her slip from his grasp, and pulls another body toward him.

Neji's.

"Uchiha-sama, Itachi-sama asks you to return," said Neji. Neji doesn't try to blend into the crowd. He stands still in the sea of moving bodies, body tilted arrogantly, recalcitrant attitude more appetizing than any other person in the room.

Sasuke runs his hand down the boy's body, uncaring.

Neji's a little unsettled, but he acts calm. He's not naïve, not innocent.

Sasuke brings their body together in one smooth movement.

"One song," he all but moans into Neji's ear.

"This is not proper," said Neji. He stands, barely moving as Sasuke brings their body together to the rhythm. Sasuke thinks Neji's too prude, hanging onto old rules of proper and improper behavior. They've already established that Sasuke just doesn't give a damn.

"If you live by the gun," said Sasuke. The drug hazed air's probably getting to his mind. He barely knows what's he saying. "You'll die by the bullet. Let go"

Neji's a surprisingly smooth dancer when he lets go. He lets Sasuke guide his hips, knees swaying in front of Sasuke's when he turns him around.

Sasuke doesn't bother hiding the fact that he's grinding into Neji's ass, hands roaming all over. Rocking into the sensual beat. Taunt stomachs, pretty shoulders, and strong thighs. Finding and grasping Neji's neck, he tilts the other's head back, watching the white eyes.

Neji's eyes are clear, focuses, uninfluenced by the chaos in the club.

Sasuke leans in.

* * *

Itachi's getting addicted to work, and Sasuke thinks he knows why.

He turns back to the boy in his bed. White silk sheets complementing the skin so well.

His brother's lover.

He's addicted too.

* * *

Neji's not stupid.

He understands power games, and he understands sibling rivalry.

He understands how to break, and he understands how to feel.

More importantly, he knows when to heal, and when to not to feel.

Three years of servitude means nothing if he can erase his inferior status forever.

When he's free, he's going back home, where a new company and bank account awaits him. His father has never been stupid, and his uncle fell for the trap; bait, sinker, and hook.

When he returns home, he's not going to be Branch Family Member number 27 anymore.

He'll be Neji Hyuuga.

* * *

**A/N:** I'm just addicted to Sasu/Neji and Itachi/Neji. –Shrugs-

The truth is, I'm trying to explore two pairing dynamics that fascinates me. The reserved, cool desire, and heated, passionate iniquity. Plus, the 'I just don't give a fuck'. Please tell me what you think? I'll write more, maybe turn this into a two-shot/multichapter if it's good enough :)


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